a bit discouraged

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IAmDanMarshall
IAmDanMarshall Posts: 44 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys and gals,

So I'm in a bit of a funk today, and I'm hoping you guys can give me some insight as to what in the hell may be going on. I clocked in lowest weight last week on 10/15 (252 pounds) and was pretty stoked, but then I decided to start weighing myself just weekly on Monday mornings, because I have been weighing daily and only marking when it goes down, so I kind of felt like I was cheating. I weighed in Monday morning at 254. No biggie, just 2 pounds, right? Well I've been killing myself at the gym over the last couple of days. I went before and after work, and also did some walking. Two days of 1000+ calorie burns. I woke up this morning at 5am to go to the gym, and I stepped on the scale (I know, I know... old habits die hard). 256.6. WHAT THE *%&^? Honestly, after seeing that, I went back to bed. I couldn't even motivate myself to go to the gym this morning, although I am going to go after work.

I just don't understand what is happening. I consistently come in under my calories. I had a pretty high sodium day on Monday, so is it possible that I am just retaining water weight? I don't know how I possibly could have gained 2.5 pounds in two days with what I've been eating (feel free to check my food diary, it's public).

Can someone please clue me in as to what in the heck is going on???

Thanks,

Dan

Replies

  • sallyLunn
    sallyLunn Posts: 381
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    I weigh myself every day and I only log a change that sticks three days. I don't consider that cheating. Just saying.

    Its probably the two days of 1000+ calorie burns. You are retaining flluid. Don't get discouraged.
  • Hitsujikai
    Hitsujikai Posts: 111 Member
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    You said that you had ben hitting the gym pretty hard last week, it could just be that you are gaining muscle mass and since muscle weighs more than fat your weight will go up.

    Also, are you eating enough? You said that you had a couple of 1000+ cal burn days, did you consume enough to offset that? If you dont take in enough calories (same with eating enough but exercising them all away) your body will start to conserve some of those calories incase you are about to enter a famine type of situation where you will need the energy.
  • Blushing_prin_cess
    Blushing_prin_cess Posts: 14
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    Sometimes the body needs a day or two off. Plus as they say you may be gaining muscle. BUT the same thing happened to me about 7 weeks ago. I questioned one of the trainers at the gym. She said I was working my self to hard for one thing. She told me brisk walking on an incline for 30-45 min a day 6 days a week would work just as well and I wouldnt be killing myself in the process but I would see results. It worked. She said though you do need to take a day off. Sometimes I take two and drink a little extra water and try not to sit down to much on my day off( I hate the feeling of "slacking off"). Try it take a day or two and see if it helps.
    Congratulations on your weight loss so far. Keep on moving.
    Lisa Marie
  • nubreeze33
    nubreeze33 Posts: 270
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    )))HUGS((( I think it could very well be water retention. I know we are beasts when it comes to that scale, because we want results NOW NOW NOW!!!!!! NOT NOW BUT RIGHT NOW! NOW PLEASE! lol Trust me my insides are screaming results. But I say don't get discouraged. It could be the combination of foods you are eating, and also it could be that you are building muscle mass and although you are getting rid of fat and replacing it with muscle you would appear by the scale to have gained because muscle weighs more. Doesn't mean your body isn't changing. But again I hear what you are saying. I am doing this challenge by Christmas and I don't want to have one issue with not meeting my 3 pound a week challenge. I decided i'm not going to stress about it. It is what it is. I have resolved that at the end of the day i'm moving toward a better me and be it instant or movement like a snail I won't give up! YOU KEEP FIGHTING AND KEEP TALKING AND YOU WILL BE JUST FINE LUV.
  • IAmDanMarshall
    IAmDanMarshall Posts: 44 Member
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    I weigh myself every day and I only log a change that sticks three days. I don't consider that cheating. Just saying.

    Its probably the two days of 1000+ calorie burns. You are retaining flluid. Don't get discouraged.

    Thanks for the reply. I'm seriously down on myself about this, even though I know it's only a couple of pounds.

    I'm probably going to do a light workout tonight at the gym, if I even go at all. I may just go for a walk. If the excess pounds are because I'm retaining fluid, how long does that generally take to go away? I do drink massive amounts of water (it's all I drink). I'm up to probably 12-16 glasses a day. Also, I think I might need to get a new scale... ours is really inconsistent and seems to only give consistent readings when it's sitting in a very specific spot.
  • lmtncb
    lmtncb Posts: 3
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    Hi pzero. I can understand your frustration. I had almost the same issue - both while I was on Weight watchers and dieting on my own. I was exercising my butt off and gained a little - couldn't understand it. Then I spoke with my WW leader - she told me I was not eating enough calories to compensate for the exercise and my body was not cooperating. I also spoke to my doctor with the same problem at a later time - she said the same thing. When you exercise more than normal you HAVE to compensate with calories or your body will not burn the calories, just store them. I know it sounds crazy but when I started eating more - healthy foods of course, rather than trying to reduce my calories to where I was dizzy and starving, I lost the weight.

    Just my 2 cents but it worked for me. Good luck and hang in there.
  • dj_stevie_c
    dj_stevie_c Posts: 270
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    The scales are not your friend.

    If you're doing the right thing and keeping your food and exercise going then you'll see results in the long term, don't worry too much about going up a couple of lbs or not losing for a few weeks, you're changing for the long term not short term success.

    Just keep going!
  • bevsalter
    bevsalter Posts: 10 Member
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    :happy: take your measurments. You may be losing inches instead of pouds. and you need to give it more than 2 days. It will eventually show your hard work has paid off. Good Luck and Keep up the good work and don't give up. ONE DAY AT A TIME..
  • kkochend
    kkochend Posts: 27
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    I am sorry that you are feeling discouraged. That scale is not our friend. We have made huge progress these past 2 months and everyday we learn something new and move on. Keep your chin up and keep on going down the path that we are on. We all have off days and weeks. Honestly? I would say it the stress you have been feeling this week. I am magically heavier when I have a stressful week. But if I can let that stress go for one day, I feel light and airy and beautiful and the scale matches that mood.
  • soze
    soze Posts: 604 Member
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    I weigh myself every day and I only log a change that sticks three days. I don't consider that cheating. Just saying.

    Its probably the two days of 1000+ calorie burns. You are retaining flluid. Don't get discouraged.

    I agree. It has to be water.
  • IAmDanMarshall
    IAmDanMarshall Posts: 44 Member
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    I weigh myself every day and I only log a change that sticks three days. I don't consider that cheating. Just saying.

    Its probably the two days of 1000+ calorie burns. You are retaining flluid. Don't get discouraged.

    I agree. It has to be water.

    How long does it usually take for retained water weight to go away?
  • megamom
    megamom Posts: 920 Member
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    On the scale thing. You said it was inconsistent when moved around. Well that is normal for a scale. It should be in the same place every day that you weigh. If you move it, you have to re-zero it. On my new scale all I have to do is tap, let it go through a cycle and then it resets itself but my old one required me to remove the battery and put it back in so the scale would resit itself. So if your moving it often it will get off unless you re-zero it.

    I weigh myself every day also. I only count once a week but I like to keep on top of a trend. If I see a upward trend for a couple of days I can quickly look and see what was different so I can try and pin point the cause. Since I started working out at the gym and lifting weights my weight loss has ground to a stop. But I am visibly stronger after a month, more muscle tone. Now I have to work on working out and losing weight again now that I am getting a routine down. Don't let it discourage you. Remember, this is a learning experience and you have nothing but time:happy:
  • Edestiny7
    Edestiny7 Posts: 730 Member
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    Stop going under your calories. You need to fuel your body, and going under on your calories is not fueling your body. Also, I weigh every morning. I find I am lowest around Tuesday or Friday. And I also only report the low weights.
  • kkochend
    kkochend Posts: 27
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    On the scale thing. You said it was inconsistent when moved around. Well that is normal for a scale. It should be in the same place every day that you weigh. If you move it, you have to re-zero it. On my new scale all I have to do is tap, let it go through a cycle and then it resets itself but my old one required me to remove the battery and put it back in so the scale would resit itself. So if your moving it often it will get off unless you re-zero it.

    Excellent point! We tend to put the scale away (in the closet, not laid flat) when we have company because it is in the hallway. Perhaps we should move it more out of the way like to the back room, re-zero it by battery removal and then just not move it ever again. lol

    I am very proud of the progress you have already made.
  • IAmDanMarshall
    IAmDanMarshall Posts: 44 Member
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    Stop going under your calories. You need to fuel your body, and going under on your calories is not fueling your body. Also, I weigh every morning. I find I am lowest around Tuesday or Friday. And I also only report the low weights.

    Yeah, I think you're right. I'm going to start adding a snack between breakfast and lunch, because I do usually find that I am hungry around 10 but tend to force myself to wait until lunch at 11 (I work 7-4, so take earlier lunches). I also think I am going to add in a post-workout protein shake, so that should also provide some more calories. My biggest problem is that it is REALLY difficult to add back all those calories with most of what we eat, I think you can understand that being a vegan as well. It's great that we have healthy foods, but damn it's HARD to eat 1600-1800 calories a day of this stuff without feeling overly full! I also drink only water, so I get no liquid calories at all.
  • IAmDanMarshall
    IAmDanMarshall Posts: 44 Member
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    I am very proud of the progress you have already made.

    Thanks, darling. I love you, you're the best :-D

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